Sudden cardiac arrest


Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in your heart that disrupts its pumping action, stopping blood flow to the rest of your body.
Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart is blocked. However, a heart attack can sometimes trigger an electrical disturbance that leads to sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If not treated immediately, it causes sudden cardiac death. With fast, appropriate medical care, survival is possible. Administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), treating with a defibrillator — or even just compressions to the chest — can improve the chances of survival until emergency personnel arrive.

Symptoms

Sudden cardiac arrest symptoms are immediate and drastic and include:
  • Sudden collapse
  • No pulse
  • No breathing
  • Loss of consciousness

Heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest

A life-threatening arrhythmia usually develops in a person with a pre-existing heart condition, such as:
  • Coronary artery disease. Most cases of sudden cardiac arrest occur in people who have coronary artery disease. In coronary artery disease, your arteries become clogged with cholesterol and other deposits, reducing blood flow to your heart. This can make it harder for your heart to conduct electrical impulses smoothly.
  • Heart attack. If a heart attack occurs, often as a result of severe coronary artery disease, it can trigger ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac arrest. In addition, a heart attack can leave behind areas of scar tissue. Electrical short circuits around the scar tissue can lead to abnormalities in your heart rhythm.
  • Enlarged heart (cardiomyopathy). This occurs primarily when your heart's muscular walls stretch and enlarge or thicken. In both cases, your heart's muscle is abnormal, a condition that often leads to heart tissue damage and potential arrhythmias.
  • Valvular heart disease. Leaking or narrowing of your heart valves can lead to stretching or thickening of your heart muscle or both. When the chambers become enlarged or weakened because of stress caused by a tight or leaking valve, there's an increased risk of developing arrhythmia.
  • Congenital heart disease. When sudden cardiac arrest occurs in children or adolescents, it may be due to a heart condition that was present at birth (congenital heart disease). Even adults who've had corrective surgery for a congenital heart defect still have a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
  • Electrical problems in the heart. In some people, the problem is in the heart's electrical system itself instead of a problem with the heart muscle or valves. These are called primary heart rhythm abnormalities and include conditions such as Brugada's syndrome and long QT syndrome.

Risk factors

Because sudden cardiac arrest is so often linked with coronary artery disease, the same factors that put you at risk of coronary artery disease may also put you at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. These include:
  • A family history of coronary artery disease
  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Drinking too much alcohol (more than two drinks a day)
Other factors that may increase your risk of sudden cardiac arrest include:
  • A previous episode of cardiac arrest or a family history of cardiac arrest
  • A previous heart attack
  • A personal or family history of other forms of heart disease, such as heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart defects, heart failure and cardiomyopathy
  • Age — the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest increases with age
  • Being male — men are two to three times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest
  • Using illegal drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines
  • Nutritional imbalance, such as low potassium or magnesium levels

Complications

When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, your brain is the first part of your body to suffer because, unlike other organs, it doesn't have a reserve of oxygen-rich blood. It's completely dependent on an uninterrupted supply of blood. Reduced blood flow to your brain causes unconsciousness.
If your heart rhythm doesn't rapidly return to its normal rhythm, brain damage occurs and death results. If sudden cardiac arrest lasts more than 8 minutes, survival is rare. Survivors of cardiac arrest may show signs of brain damage.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Horizontal Mattress Suture

Image
. Indications High tension wound support Pull wound edges together over significant distance Holding  Suture  (anchor wound edges together) Holds fragile or thin skin together Using 6-0  Suture  at digit web space or  Eyelid Hemostatic effect (e.g. scalp) III. Contraindications: Relative Areas at risk for scarring (e.g. face) IV. Advantages Optimizes wound edge eversion Increased closure strength (distributes tension) Spreads tension along wound edge V. Technique Background Use non- Absorbable Suture Four landmark sites (2 on each side of the wound) Points form a rectangle across lesion Each point is 4-8 mm from wound edge Two points parallel to lesion on right (east) side Point 1 at southeast corner of  Laceration Point 4 at northeast corner (2-4 mm north of 1) Two points parallel to lesion on left (west) side Point 2 at southwest corner of  Laceration Point 3 at northwest corner (2-4 mm north...
Read more

Polyhydramnios

Image
Polyhydramnios  is the excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid — the fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus during pregnancy. Polyhydramnios occurs in about 1 to 2 percent of pregnancies. Most cases of polyhydramnios are mild and result from a gradual buildup of amniotic fluid during the second half of pregnancy. Severe polyhydramnios may cause shortness of breath, preterm labor, Symptoms Polyhydramnios symptoms result from pressure being exerted within the uterus and on nearby organs. Mild polyhydramnios may cause few — if any — signs or symptoms. Severe polyhydramnios may cause: Shortness of breath or the inability to breathe Swelling in the lower extremities and abdominal wall Uterine discomfort or contractions Fetal malposition, such as breech presentation Your health care provider may also suspect polyhydramnios if your uterus is excessively enlarged and he or she has trouble feeling the baby. Causes Some of the known causes of polyhydramnios ...
Read more